Content (Page 49)
“An Eye for an Eye” vs. “The Chicago Way”
The most effective punishments generally exceed their crimes, because they not only punish the wrong-doer, they act as a powerful deterrents. But “effective” doesn’t necessarily mean “moral.”
Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?
If we think of our neighbors as people we have to try to keep up with, then that will just make us miserable. But if we think of our “neighbors” as those we have a responsibility to, then we can realize the value and importance of moving away from our self-centered materialism.
Why We Should be More Like Robin Hood
Perhaps the Robin Hood story endures even up to today because thinking about “giving to the poor” simply makes us feel good (although certainly just “taking from the rich” is not what we should do!). So maybe we should strive to become a bit more like Robin Hood on the “giving” part of that equation — not only would it make the world more fair, it would make us feel better, as well.
Wait — What’s My Sign? And Why Do I Care So Much?
Today, “Jewish identity” is no longer fixed, and it is no longer a given — it has to be created and nurtured in order to be chosen and embraced. And in fact, that has the potential to be a great boon for the Jewish community.
Pick a Destiny, Any Destiny
If we simply feel invested in our choices — even if sometimes they aren’t always “ours” — we can then own them and take responsibility for them.